Sealed Beams on SC

Any suggestions for a source of the sealed beam headlights used on the 1953 Super C???? I found a couple places online but the price seems exorbitant.

I checked the bulbs with an ohm meter and it reads "0" which indicates the filament is broken. Thanks in advance.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 7:40 am

I have no source for less expensive sealed beams.

I thought I would replace the burnt out and broken sealed beams on a Cub Cadet. $25 to $30 for one head lamp at the auto parts store and needing two. They didn't get replaced.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:59 am

Zero olms (resistance) would indicate a good filament, high numbers would mean bad bulb. No voltage (or light) when wired to power source would indicate bad bulb. Does your Volt-Ohm meter have an audible continuity function? It would beep if making circuit (good bulb).

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 9:53 am

I guess it depends on your point of view but zero ohms always meant continuity. Or in other words: an electrical path. Infinity or very high ohm readings indicated an open circuit.Wire (theoretically) would have zero ohms.I think the terminology gets turned around sometimes because the older analog meters read right to left for ohms. A dead short such as touching the leads together would give a full scale reading and an open would give no deflection of the needle (interpreted as zero?)

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:18 am

Vince, is your SC 6volts, or has it been converted to 12? I found some of the small sealed beams at TSC, Wagner brand, but they were 12 volt. $14 a piece if I remember correctly.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:52 pm

danovercash wrote:Zero olms (resistance) would indicate a good filament, high numbers would mean bad bulb. No voltage (or light) when wired to power source would indicate bad bulb. Does your Volt-Ohm meter have an audible continuity function? It would beep if making circuit (good bulb).

Sorry, I probably said it incorrectly. I used a digital volt meter to check the filiments. I used the ohm setting to check the continuity. An audable signal would have indicated the filiment was good but I got no tone - indicating the filiment was broken.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:54 pm

Harold R wrote:Vince, is your SC 6volts, or has it been converted to 12? I found some of the small sealed beams at TSC, Wagner brand, but they were 12 volt. $14 a piece if I remember correctly.

Harold, mine is still 6-volts. I will check with TSC and see if they have any reasonably priced bulbs available. Thanks for the tip.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 7:40 pm

A few years ago I purchased 3 of the sealed beam conversion kits from Tom at TM for my 55 cub. It came with all the parts to convert the sealed beam to the old style. I haven't seen them listed for a while. The kit was about the same price as a sealed beam and if the bulb ever goes bad, all I have to do is get a new $3.00 bulb.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 7:52 pm

cubbrian wrote:A few years ago I purchased 3 of the sealed beam conversion kits from Tom at TM for my 55 cub. It came with all the parts to convert the sealed beam to the old style. I haven't seen them listed for a while. The kit was about the same price as a sealed beam and if the bulb ever goes bad, all I have to do is get a new $3.00 bulb.

Yeah I loaded up on them and just didn't get enough before Tom discontinued the kits.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:15 pm

I think those kits are still sold by Pilot Knob Restorations--they advertise in Red Power.Mike

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Fri Jun 03, 2011 6:20 pm

Thanks guys, I will follow up on the leads.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:04 pm

I'm scratchin' my head here, but I think if a guy was determined enough, you could do your own conversions using the existing burnt out sealed beam. If I remember right, those sealed beams are nothing more than a reflector with a socket and bulb, and then a lens is glued on. If you can get the lens to let go from the reflector, you can then change out the bulb. A new rubber gasket for the sealed beam should finish the job.

Re: Sealed Beams on SC

Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:07 pm

Thanks for the suggestion. I will take a closer look. I thought they were actual sealed beam bulbs, like the headlights on cars used to be.